Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

john HD
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#16

Post by john HD »

interesting point craig.

i would wonder if they were needed when the hole in the top of the bronze section would saturate the felts.

something else to think about.

john
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#17

Post by Cotten »

My confusions about this are many, but one big one is how did the Factory arrive at the notion that oil would be forced backwards into the grooves to the stud holes, instead of just taking the path of least resistance and dumping out the ends of the block?

We do not even have full-revolution shaft motion to drive the oil in any particular direction. Was significant oil supposed to be snatched away from the open end of the rocker just by the constantly reversal of the shaft? Apparently the Factory must have believed it!

If the oil is driven by pressure from 'behind', then the top holes would just be another flow-robbing relief, if any oil emerged from them at all..

It seems more logical to me that more splashed oil would enter the holes, than to be released from them.

As I think I noted earlier, I had been lead to believe (probably just because my (then 10 year-old) '65 only had the 'smooth' blocks on the intakes with holes, and 'rough cast' blocks on the exhausts with no holes, that the higher blocks on the engines would get the least oil.

Can we perhaps come to a consensus that the extra oiling features of the top holes and oiler 'snouts' were in place probably because the intakes were "uphill" where oil would be less likely to find its way?

...Cotten
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#18

Post by john HD »

cotten,

i guess in addition to your glass linkert float bowl we need a pair of see thru pan covers to see what is really going on in there!

or at least a window in the top!

john :mrgreen:
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#19

Post by caschnd1 »

Or we could just remove the covers all togther... put on a rain poncho and some goggles and give it a look. :mrgreen: But then we wouldn't get to see if the felts play any role in the oiling. Sounds like a job for some Pyrex pan covers.

-Craig
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#20

Post by Cotten »

Indian Fours used felts in a similar manner to oil their intake rockers, many years before Pans were designed.

.....Cotten
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#21

Post by Lethal Farce »

Thanks for all the info. Amazing how a little part can be so confusing. I got my pan cover screws, rocker nuts and oilers today and will button all up, when I figure out the long pushrod issue. My bike had two long pushrods, and I am going to assume the second long one is the rear exhaust, and see if it fits.
LF
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#22

Post by partshunt »

I wonder when the factory states that re using the oilers causes over oiling because they found when torqued down the second time, the slot widend. Therefore, allowing more oil flow than specified by engineers, thus overoiling....Joe
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#23

Post by hjans »

I've read this discussion, while disassembling my heads.
My oilers have been blocked by a steel ball in the oiler.
When i blow air through it, just a minor opening remains.
Somebody ever thought to much oil through the oilers ??

Hans
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#24

Post by steve_wood »

Hjans:

The ball is supposed to be there. This topic has received much discussion. The general consensus seems to be that nobody knows for sure how well (or poorly) the oiler system works. Seems to be one of those things where you reinstall as per the manual and leave it as is....
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#25

Post by 58flh »

I have not put any of the dribblers back on!--Any of the heads I did I made sure the clearence was in spec.--The felts I always install,& the hole is a must ,As Cotton pointed out the uphill theory!, We all know that liquid will travel the path of least resistence!. The grooves put in the upper blocks is a GOOD thing. As pushing out dirty oil & dry starts are to a min. Also I have to say that ALL the motors I set-up this way are up & running fine!.-(this includes my own set-up!). Panheads dont have a starvation of oil in the heads problem!,If they do SOMETHING ELSE is at fault!--They have more then needed up top as far as oil is concerned!---& with a stock cast-pump!. I have run the same oem pump since I rebuilt the motor 24+ yrs. ago! NEVER have I had a problem with oiling!. The bike is rode all the time--weather permitting.----Richie
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#26

Post by pills »

interesting thread . my rocker bloks had allen head bolts holding them down with not much wear on the shafts or blocks .I got worried when I saw in the manual that it needed oilers and studs with nyloc nuts .now after reading this im still none the wiser like some just not sure what to do now . :(
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Re: Panhead Rocker Oiler questions

#27

Post by Cooie »

I thought the same pills, the motor I pulled apart didn't have them, I saw them in the service manual so I decided to put a set in, they weren't a big expense.
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